Page 135 of Devoted

Sam was looking at me, waiting for my answer. But my mind was hooked on the line Benji had crossed. He had to know that he couldnevercompel Sam again.

I couldn’t leave Sam waiting though, not without giving himsomething.“I’ll explain everything, I promise. Just let me deal with this first?”

Sam glanced at Benji, tugging on his earlobe. “Okay.”

I kissed his cheek before getting to my feet and turning to face Benji. “You compelled him.”

Benji tilted his head to the side, puzzled. “Yes.”

I gritted my teeth, trying to force the monster not to make an appearance. “And you don’t see how that was a violation?”

“No.” Benji shrugged. “It was the easiest way to make him understand. His brain wouldn’t let him accept the truth, and this was the simplest solution.”

The monster was prowling, ready to be unleashed. “Benji, youcannotcompel my mate.”

Benji paused, puzzled. “But I just did.”

Noah groaned, shooting me an empathetic look. It reassured me that I wasn’t being ridiculous here. “Sam already spends somuch time fighting his brain, Ben. You can’t go in there and fiddle with it further.”

Sam sucked in a breath. “Wait, what?”

The monster was roaring at the air now, begging me to unleash it on Benji.

He was only trying to help.

That might’ve been true, but he had to understand that it wasn’t something he could ever repeat. “Benji, I need you to promise me that you’llnevercompel Sam again.”

Benji frowned. “You’re upset. I don’t understand why. Sam was panicking because he didn’t understand, and now he does and is no longer anxious.”

“I’m upset because he’s my mate,” I roared. “He already doesn’t trust what his brain tells him, and now you’ve gone in and messed around with it. How is he supposed to trustanythingwe tell him now?”

“Oh.” Benji’s mouth opened slightly as the meaning finally sank in. “Okay, I’m sorry. But it’s done now, so there’s no point in being upset about it.”

The leash on my monster snapped as power crackled over my skin. “Nopoint?”

Before I could do anything I was bound to regret later, a hand firmly gripped mine. “Come on, Zeke. Let’s take a lap.”

The monster faltered. “But?—”

“Nope.” Sam tugged on my hand. His other free hand continued tugging on his earlobe—was that his anxiety? “We’re taking a lap.”

Benji and Noah stood aside to let us leave. Sam kept his chin held high, but his hand was trembling in mine. His fingers hadn’t left his ear either.

He might know the truth now, but it had come at a cost. Sam had suggested this lap for me, but really, I thought he needed it too.

I waited until we stepped out into the brisk morning air before speaking. “Are you okay?”

“Am I okay,” Sam repeated with a hysterical laugh. “No, Zeke. I can quite confidently say that I’mnotokay.”

I cursed everyone from the twins, to Benji, to myself.

If I’d told him about this before now, he wouldn’t have been panicked at my death. I mean, yes, it would’ve been traumatic for him to see me die, but nowhere near as bad if he knew I’d wake up fully healed after a few minutes.

And if the twins had managed to keep their tempers under control, none of this would’ve happened. I could still be in bed, calmly explaining everything to Sam. Stopping when he had questions. Unravelling the complex layers of my true nature one at a time. Pausing to give him time to process.

Instead, he’d found out everything at once.

Thanks to Benji, that included the fact that he was my fated mate.

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